Seven Wishes
by Emmychao
Summary: HibikixKotone/EthanxLyra. For the one week that Jirachi is awake, Kotone makes seven wishes and makes a very precious friend in the process.


_The first wish is always the silliest because you never think it's possible._

"Eh…" I tilted my head and poked the creature in front of me. It giggled slightly before returning the gesture, its teal tags swishing with the movement. "So you're Jirachi, huh?"

It only smiled in response.

I glanced over the surrounding trees cautiously before kicking my shoes off, declaring that we were stopping for the night. My pokémon had gathered around me to inspect the team's newcomer and gave me curious looks. Jirachi actually seemed to enjoy all of the attention.

"Be nice to Jirachi, okay guys?" I set to work preparing my bedspread and set my night lamp next to me. "And be sure to help Jirachi understand how we set up camp!"

My Typhlosion, ever the leader, immediately accepted the responsibility and started showing Jirachi the sticks we needed for our fire. I smiled at their friendly interaction before turning back to my big bag of wonders. (I really had no idea how I fit everything in it!) As a trainer on a journey, it was my responsibility to keep not only myself fed but also my companions. I rummaged through the bag only to feel the creeping feeling of panic in my chest.

Where was our food?

I whipped my head to look at my innocent pokémon, my ponytails smacking my face lightly in the process. They all stopped what they were doing and regarded me with all-knowing looks. I could feel the sweat beading on my forehead from their intense gazes. This wasn't the first time we had gone without dinner, after all, but it was normally something we all preferred to avoid at all costs.

"Ah," I moaned dejectedly, my head falling forward to rest on my bony knees. My stomach growled persistently, the obvious sign that I had skipped all of today's meals in an effort to get to the next town sooner. "I wish we had some food…"

Something landed on my head with a small thud.

"Huh?" I hesitantly reached for the object and smiled once I saw what exactly I was holding. It was one of my favorite snacks! I glanced at Jirachi and saw that it was dancing around, food falling from nowhere all around it. "Was that you?"

"_Food!_" it chimed telepathically. I felt my expression soften at the pokémon's kindness.

"Thank you," I said gratefully. Jirachi's smile only seemed to get bigger.

"_Food! Food!_"

The next thing I knew, we were all buried in more food than we could eat in a week.

_The second wish is an accident because you still don't quite believe in them._

"Day two of being stuck with you," I commented, glancing at the napping form in my arms. My Typhlosion walked by my side loyally and seemed to be taking an interest in the sleeping bundle I was holding. "It's actually kind of cute, huh?"

Typhlosion nodded in agreement, his eyes flitting between Jirachi and the path we were walking on. I thought that it was kind of sweet that he felt obligated to keep a lookout for me. After a few more steps, I realized just how many trainers were up ahead, all itching for a battle with me. I looked down at Jirachi and frowned. I didn't really feel like battling right now…

I turned to Typhlosion gloomily. "I wish I didn't have to fight all of those trainers. Walking with you guys like this is fun, too…"

Jirachi flashed slightly.

"Hmm? You awake now?" Typhlosion's frantic tugging at my sleeve brought my attention back to the path ahead. I paled at what I saw.

All of the trainers were hovering a few feet above the ground, struggling to regain their footing. My hand automatically came in front of my mouth in disbelief. It was at that moment that Jirachi decided that its nap was over.

"J-Jirachi?" I shook the pokémon slightly, pointing in the direction of the floating trainers. "Did you do that?"

It sleepily blinked its eyes and turned in the direction I was pointing in.

"_No battles,_" it declared before snuggling back into my chest. The trainers' frantic voices brought me back to the matter at hand.

"Ah! L-let's just go!" My Typhlosion nodded in agreement. We ran under the levitating trainers as fast as we could, and surprisingly, the moment we passed the last one, they all fell back to the earth with muffled thumps. I chanced a glance behind me and really didn't like what I saw. They were all glaring at me as though it was entirely my fault.

"It's her fault!"

"Agh! My new dress is ruined!"

"Feel our fury!"

All color drained from my face.

"Run!"

_You're cautious by the third wish, but you always seem to forget not to say "wish."_

"Somehow, I've survived to see day three of babysitting you." Jirachi cheered despite the hint of sarcasm in my voice. I shrugged it off since the pokémon's smile was becoming infectious. The cheery atmosphere of the Pokémon Center, however, reminded me how much I didn't want to be in a good mood and was even starting to annoy me right now… especially that couple across the room…

"_Eh?_" Jirachi patted my face innocently, instantly sensing the change in my attitude. I looked back down at the pokémon in my lap and forced a smile.

"Sorry, I guess I feel just a little lonely right now." Even though I had my pokémon companions by my side constantly, that didn't stop me from yearning for human contact. It also didn't help that no one had been calling me lately. It felt like no one really wanted to battle me anymore… Heck they could at least call to talk, right?

"_Lonely?_" Jirachi echoed enigmatically, the word sounding foreign to the wish-making pokémon.

"Yeah," I confirmed with a small nod. "It's not a happy feeling at all. It's dark, cold, and empty! Not good at all. It's the feeling you get when you aren't with your friends or loved ones."

"_Friends? Love?_" The small pokémon looked down and seemed to be deep in thought. I let my eyes wander across the room in the meantime. "_Kotone and Jirachi are friends, right? And Jirachi loves Kotone a lot! So… Jirachi isn't lonely at all._"

My eyes widened, and for a moment, I felt like I had been the selfish one. Well, at least I thought that was the case until the couple I had been watching had trained their eyes on me and starting whispering.

"Doesn't it look like she's been ditched or something? Maybe her boyfriend dumped her," the girl commented. I knew I wasn't supposed to hear those words, but it really wasn't my fault that my hearing improved at times like these.

"What boyfriend?" I replied bitterly, holding my pokégear up in hopes that a call would save me from this situation. "I wish someone would just call me already!"

I quickly covered my mouth, realizing what exactly I had said a moment ago. The shrill ringing of my pokégear interrupted my thoughts. I looked at Jirachi, who was just smiling its usual smile before answering the call.

"Kotone?" Ah! It was Hibiki! I could feel the heat creep onto my cheeks. "How have you been? I haven't seen you in a while. We should meet up soon and catch up."

"I saw you just the other day," I said with a laugh. "But that would be nice."

"_Love!_" Jirachi chimed, making my face flare up even more. "_Love!_"

_By the fourth wish, you finally understand that you can get what you want._

"So, can you really grant any wish?" I asked my companion curiously. Jirachi nodded vigorously in response.

"_Any wish! Any wish!_"

"So… you could make me prettier?"

Jirachi tilted its head to the side.

"Ah, so it really is too much to ask," I said with a sigh and shook my head. "Never mind then."

"_Why does Kotone want to be pretty?_" Jirachi asked suddenly. I turned my gaze away from its innocent yet prying eyes. Did Jirachi even understand the concept of beauty?

"N-no reason," I lied. Jirachi caught on immediately.

"_Jirachi doesn't like it when Kotone lies._"

"Fine!" I acquiesced with a red face. "I want to look pretty for someone!"

"… _But Kotone is already pretty._"

"Eh?" I whipped my head to look back at Jirachi. It still had its usual smile.

"_If it's Kotone, then Jirachi's sure that that person already thinks she is pretty and cute._"

Such profound words coming from a _pokémon_ of all things!

"_But if Kotone really wants to be pretty, then Jirachi will give her this._"

I held out my hands expectantly while Jirachi floated there with a smile. Before I could ask what we were waiting for, a bright flash of light stopped my voice dead. Within seconds, the light dimmed down to a shimmering sparkle. Jirachi took hold of it and hid it from my view for a moment.

"_Here._"

The small pokémon dropped a star-shaped clip into my eager hands. It still sparkled with that mysterious light.

"_Kotone will always be pretty with this._"

"Thank you, Jirachi."

_The fifth wish is selfish but necessary to realize that not all wishes can come true._

"So, we only have a few more days together, huh?" My eyes were trained on the fire in front of me, but my companion understood that I was talking to it. "Will you be lonely?"

"_Jirachi will go back to sleep for a long time._"

My eyes softened just slightly. I guess loneliness is impossible when you're asleep.

"_Will Kotone be lonely when Jirachi goes to sleep?_"

"Yes, I will be very lonely."

"_Why?_"

"Because you are my precious friend," I whispered just loud enough for the pokémon to hear. My other pokémon gathered around us, much like the first day Jirachi joined the party, and seemed to be sharing their feelings with the wish maker as well. Jirachi took hold of my hands and allowed me to listen to what they were saying.

"_There have been times where you have been a pain, but,_" my Typhlosion trailed off and ducked his head to show his embarrassment, "_everyone's like that in the beginning._"

"_You've done so many things that I didn't think were possible! I hope you can show us many more…_" my Ampharos added shyly, also lowering her face.

"_I still haven't been able to take you for a ride,_" my Pidgeot said despondently. She flapped her wings lightly for emphasis. "_My rides are so much fun, after all._"

"_I haven't really interacted with you that much, but,_" my Weavile glanced away bashfully, "_I think we could be friends._"

"_Yeah! We've just met, so don't go!_" my Marill cried, grabbing hold of Jirachi's small hands with her own stubby ones.

"_We wish you didn't have to go,_" all of my pokémon said in unison. I nodded in agreement, but Jirachi looked down and away from all of us.

"_But Jirachi has to sleep soon,_" it argued sadly. We all hung our heads with the realization that this was one wish that wasn't going to be granted. A moment of silence passed awkwardly.

"Then," I started hopefully, "let's make the most of the time we have left with Jirachi. We can do that much, right?"

Jirachi just smiled.

_The sixth wish could change your life forever._

"Hmm? My pokégear is ringing…" I checked it and smiled when I saw that the incoming call was from Hibiki. Stopping where I was, I answered it cheerfully. "Hey Hibiki! What have you been up to? And when do you plan on meeting up with me?"

"I'm sorry, is this Kotone?" My smile faltered, and my heart skipped a beat. It wasn't Hibiki's voice on the other end. I took a deep breath before answering.

"Y-yes?"

"I'm sorry, Kotone. This is Hibiki's father. Something has –"

"What? What happened to Hibiki?" I could feel my heart pound uncontrollably at the implication that something had happened to my best friend in the entire world.

"There was an accident, and…" the man trailed off painfully, choking on his own words, "his condition doesn't look too good."

"Wh-what do you mean?" I braced myself for the answer that I knew I didn't want to hear.

"He might not make it."

The pokégear clattered to the dirt path.

"Kotone? Kotone!"

My body fell forward, and the only thing that kept my body from painfully joining my pokégear on the ground was my Typhlosion. He looked between me and my pokégear worriedly, and soon enough, Jirachi joined him in fussing over me.

"Hibiki… Hibiki is…" My face was blank, the information still sinking in. Then the tears came. "Hibiki! No, Hibiki!"

My arms stretched out toward the sky in a futile effort to reach him, my screams strangled and desperate. Typhlosion and Jirachi could only watch helplessly as I cried for the one I loved most. Somewhere in the back of my fogged up mind, I remembered Jirachi's miraculous ability. Suddenly, I whipped my head around to face the worried pokémon, not caring at all when my hair painfully slapped my face. Hibiki's father still anxiously called out to me through my pokégear on the dirt.

This was a matter of life and death.

"Jirachi!" I stumbled out of my Typhlosion's arms and grabbed the smaller pokémon's hands frantically. "Hibiki! Please, save Hibiki's life!"

I lowered my face to the ground, my hat sliding off and the star clip shimming much like my tear-filled eyes. Just when I thought the tears were gone, they only came back with more force.

"_Hibiki is Kotone's precious person?_"

"Yes! Without Hibiki, I… I…" I raised my eyes to meet Jirachi's, the tears obscuring my vision. "I'd be very lonely! Please! Please help him!"

Then everything went black.

_The seventh wish is all you ever needed in the first place._

"_Kotone?_"

"Mmm…" I carefully opened my eyes and realized that it was dark, the stars in the sky somehow brighter than ever. I blinked, my memories rushing back all at once. "Hibiki!"

I looked around and realized that I was sitting in the middle of the path, the trees closing in around me. My Typhlosion made a sound of both surprise and relief at the sight of me and ambled over.

"How long was I out?"

"_A long time._" I turned and saw Jirachi floating beside me. It smiled, though there was a hint of sadness. "_It's already almost time for me to go…_"

"Oh," I said sadly, and quickly remembered the other matter at hand. "What about Hibiki? Is he okay?"

Jirachi simply pointed at my pokégear.

I picked it up and realized that Hibiki's father had never actually hung up. "Hello?"

"Kotone? Oh, Kotone!" There was relief in his voice. "I almost thought that something happened to you, too! Thank goodness you're okay!"

"Um, I think I just passed out," I replied sheepishly, noting the throbbing pain in my head and the nausea that I didn't realize were there. "But anyway, how is Hibiki? Has his condition improved?"

"Hibiki?" There was a sniffle on the other end that almost gave me the wrong impression. "It's a miracle! It looks like he'll be fine after all! But… he still hasn't woken up. You really should come see him."

Before I could say anything else, he hung up.

"Jirachi," I said quietly, calling my Typhlosion to return to his pokéball at the same time. "Can I ask for one more wish before you go?"

"_Jirachi already knows what it is but wants to hear it from Kotone._"

I took a deep breath. "I want – no, _need_ to go see Hibiki."

Jirachi smiled.

I blinked and found myself not on the dirt path under the starry sky with Jirachi but in a dark hospital room with Hibiki. The tears were back, but I somehow found the strength to blink them away. With a pained smile, I stepped closer to him and tentatively reached out to touch him.

"You were supposed to come see me, but since you were late, I came to see you instead," I told him quietly, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "You idiot... What exactly did you do?"

There was his usual goofy grin when I scolded him for doing something stupid.

"This isn't something to smile about!" I snapped but swiftly covered my mouth. Since no one else was in here, it was obviously after visiting hours. Then it dawned on me; he had smiled.

"Is it a crime to want to see you this much? Geez…" I blinked dumbly and tried to move my hand away but was caught. "And to think that I was actually going to say _that_ to you."

The tears came again, but I made no effort to wipe them or keep them at bay.

"You dummy! You're not acting hurt at all!"

"That's because you're here."

"Huh?" I sniffled and took a deep breath. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Hibiki looked away with a pout.

"Now I really shouldn't say _that_ to you…"

"_That_?" He had really piqued my curiosity and was just going to leave me hanging in the end? Meanie!

"Fine! So, uh, I guess that I, erm," he trailed off, his face noticeably darkening in the dim light. He took a deep breath. "I-I like you!"

"So wishes do come true…" I whispered, and the clip in my hair glittered in the darkness. A genuine smile came to life on my face at the realization that this was what I had wanted all along. "I like you, too."

"_Now Kotone won't be lonely anymore…_"

Thank you, Jirachi…

"_And goodnight._"

* * *

A/N: I wrote this to celebrate the Wi-Fi Jirachi event as well as Tanabata! Plus, I wanted an excuse to write this scenario a month ago (and lo and behold, I got it!) I hope you all enjoyed it!

Also, please look forward to my next one-shot tentatively called Red and the League of Champions as well as the last installments of Epiphany.


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